gape
verb (used without object)
to stare with open mouth, as in wonder.
gaped
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past participleof gape.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof gape.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
gapeverb (used without object)to stare with open mouth, as in wonder.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The question many are asking with gaped jaws: How could this have possibly happened?
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
Customers have gaped at his portion sizes, he said—one woman ordered a plate of nachos and consumed roughly four bites.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Far out in the desert, the researchers gaped at the six-foot-long femur, the jaw, teeth, and base of the crest.
From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026
American executives at the Guangzhou auto show gaped at the car’s uneven purple paint job and the poor fit of its doors.
From New York Times ● Feb. 12, 2024
Dad gaped at me in disbelief, then he began to testify—not about God, but about Mother.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
